I wonder if the cost to race is the only factor that results in lower car counts on pavement.

1) No regular weekly show anywhere.
2) Can't race 3 times per weekend(in central Indiana), if desired.
3) Most fans say that they aren't drawn to it quite as much as they are the dirt races.
4) Even if you could race 3 or 4 times more often per year, wouldn't that just increase the per race cost by 3-4x(assuming nothing else changes)?

Truer words have never been written. Even in the 'glory days' of Foyt & Jones, pavement shows always have drawn fewer cars. In the mid 80's a similar economic environment, and car counts at Winchester were worse than they are now.

I don't think it's derailing the thread, but if it does that's ok with me. As far as I know there is not an upper limit to the payout. And I am not certain they require anyone to adhere to that. The reason I am not sure is that I know of 2 situations where it is not adhered to. One is the series I see the most, the Sprint Series of Texas. It is my understanding that Smiley (Sitton, the promoter of the series) pays everyone the same amount. I have asked a couple of drivers if that was true and they said "more or less." The other situation is a race later this month in Amarillo that is billed as a TX vs. KS shootout. This is a race for SST (Racesaver) rules vs. United Rebel Sprint Series rules, which are 305s but use a different head and different wing. They have to run one series rules or the other, not mix and match. But this race has a $5000 to win and $200 or $300 to start. It's also a back gate purse with little or no money being paid for the first 2 nights of a 3 day meet.

The thinking is they aren't looking to entice professional racers to the series. There are plenty of series already doing that. They do get drivers that used to be professional though. Shane Carson, Johnny Suggs and Edd French have run regularly with them. When I first heard about what Smiley was doing, I thought that was crazy. Then I thought about it and realized that for a series like this, there was no way they could pay enough for anyone to actually make money racing, so why not help all of them lose the least amount? He has over 40 racers to choose from and most tracks only request around 30. And the Southern Thunder Sprints which run in E TX and Louisana are spun off from the SST. So it works for them.

[QUOTE=Kevracer58;139978]Truer words have never been written. Even in the 'glory days' of Foyt & Jones, pavement shows always have drawn fewer cars. QUOTE]

Keep in mind, at that time sprint cars were no where near as 'safe' as they are now, and a lot of men died at Winchester, Salem, and Dayton. In all truthfullness, there were some guys who wanted NO PART of 'the hills'. Parnelli didn't like them, but he ran them because he needed the money.

I believe in modern times, it is a combination of the cars being specialized, tires costing too much, plus, not enough races.

There's just not enough attractive women at pavement sprint races.

Finally an explanation that makes sense.

THE GLORY DAYS 50s 60s 70s CHECK THEM OUT!!!!!!!!!! FOYT PARNELLI JOHNCOCK MCWHITY KING MCCLUSKY BRANSON UNSER SWIEKERT RUTHERFORD (ECT) DRIVING THE SAME CAR ON PAVEMENT AND DIRT! IT ALL WENT AWAY WHEN THEY WENT TO BUILDING SPECIAL CARS FOR PAVEMENT THEN SPECIAL CARS FOR DIRT!!!!!!!!!! AND YES THERE IS A LOT MORE DIRT TRACKS THEN PAVEMENT! SO IN YOU RUN ONE CAR AT ALL SPRINT CAR RACES THERE WOULD BE PLENTY OF CARS!!!!!!

No offense Duke; I just think that isn't the real problem. I don't think many of the guys that run Bloomington or Lawrenceburg who are going to bolt on $1,500 worth of tires to run one pavement show let alone test.

I really don't think it's as simple as eliminating one car.

If all of the specialty cars available were already competing then I would have to agree, but I can think of at least 15 pavement sprints that weren't there that could be let alone the wing guys who didn't take the wings off even though there was guarenteed start money because of the low count.

Duke, I respectfully disagree; the jury is still out on combo cars. There are plenty of people who have only dirt and some only have asphalt cars. I honestly think that as the economy improves and if USAC can get the paved races on national live TV, crowds and car counts for asphalt racing will return. The best racing I saw all season was one May evening at Mount Lawn, and if there were 50 people in the stands I would have been shocked.

why? And who fault is it you spend $1500 on tires to race? Open the tires to one tire for all day!!!!!!!!! When i was racing i sold firestones and most cars wold buy a new rf and rr per race! They can build tires that will run 2 or 3 races if they have too! And tell me how much the dirt racers spend a night?????